ALACHUA – For local businesses, the Alachua Chamber of Commerce monthly meeting usually offers introductions of new businesses in the area and speakers offering business strategies and information. But the December meeting involved less information and more games, challenges and wine.

Chamber President Amanda Payne said, “We just wanted to have some fun for December and just celebrate each other and be together as a community as business and business leaders. I think we have a great group of people.”

Those who attended were asked to pick a seat at a table with the shape that best described them––a triangle, a circle, a squiggly line or a rectangle.

While the squiggly line table seemed to be overflowing with participants, the rectangle table remained empty. The groups went around and discussed what made them identify with a specific shape.

Individuals occupying the circles said they were the softer crowd, trying to include everyone and able to roll with whatever was thrown at them. The squares said they were solid, predictable and rule followers. The squiggly lines said that they do not fit inside of any box and they were flexible and maneuverable. They ask for forgiveness, not permission. The triangles saw their shape as a religious symbol of the trinity.

The attendees were then told to take an index card and write a fun, but unknown fact about themselves. Groups at each table were then given the task of trying to match the fun fact with the person it belonged to. The person with the most right answers at each table received a bottle of Trader Joe’s wine, courtesy of Payne.

“This whole day was just about networking and getting to know people better that we may see on a monthly basis, but we don’t take the time to really get to know,” said Payne.

Chamber members who attended were also encouraged to bring an item for Food4Kids of Alachua, an organization that provides food and backpacks to children and families in need.

Horner said the program is in its seventh year of sending backpacks filled with food items home. They have shopping lists for people and blue tubs in different locations throughout the city where people can donate food.

“It’s just a really wonderful program to help families who need a little extra boost in feeding their kids,” she said.

The chamber will not be meeting again until after the New Year, but there will be the Alachua tree lighting and Santa visit held this Friday on Main Street, Dec. 5 at 6-8 p.m., and the Christmas parade will be Saturday, Dec. 13 on Main Street at 2 p.m.

ALACHUA – As many residents in the city of Alachua are already aware, Publix is officially coming to their town.

The double paneled “coming soon” sign can be seen sitting in front of the lot that has been partially cleared adjacent to the newly opened Raceway gas station located at 16201 NW U.S. Highway 441 The sign also is advertising for other businesses to lease suites in the future Alachua Market Place where Publix will be the anchor store.

Dan Drotos, a member of the Drotos Ryals Group within Bosshardt Commercial & Land Division, said that the shopping center is offering seven suites for lease to businesses other than Publix.

Drotos said they are looking for businesses that are typical within a Publix shopping center such as nail salons, small takeout restaurants, dry cleaning, shipping stores and so on.

They have not signed any leases yet, but he said that they have four letters of intent.

“Although they are non-binding, we’ve had plenty of interest already in the center,” Drotos said.

He said that the projected date for the center to open is the first quarter of 2016.

ALACHUA – An apartment building near Hitchcock’s in Alachua was evacuated on Monday after a laundry-room fire ignited in an apartment on the second floor.

One51 Place was the gathering site for three different fire-rescue departments at around noon on Monday. The affected building was already evacuated by the Alachua Police Department when the High Springs Fire Department arrived on the scene. Shortly after, the Alachua County Fire Rescue and LaCrosse Fire Rescue joined the responders.

A resident of apartment 2059 called for help around noon, said Jessie Sandusky, public information officer for the Alachua Police Department.

Kyle Miller, of the High Springs Fire Department, was one of the first on the scene. Engine 21 was the closest fire rescue services to the building. The fire didn’t seem to spread far, Miller said.

“It was mainly contained to the laundry room,” he said.

Nobody was hurt in the fire.

The fire seemed to be caused by a dryer in the laundry room exploding, according to several firefighters who were at the building.

Damage appeared to be minimal, said Mark Havelock, of the Alachua County Fire Rescue.

ALACHUA COUNTY – Governor Rick Scott asked the state legislature to set aside $55 million in the budget this year for springs and river protection and restoration, and some residents of Alachua County have ideas on how the area could benefit if the money comes to fruition.

A good way to protect the water supply in North Florida would be to focus on conservation, rather than restoration, said Chris Bird, director of the Alachua County Environmental Protection Department.

“It doesn’t all have to be about big engineering projects,” he said. “Some of it is just education.”

Money could be spent on education efforts to help local residents do a better job conserving water, Bird said.

In Alachua County, 55 million to 60 million gallons of water are pumped out of the ground each day, he said. About half of that is municipal, with the other half being agricultural.

A lot of water usage comes from homeowners watering their lawns, Bird said.

“That is more of a luxury item than growing food,” he said. “Growing food is more important than having your grass green.”

The state could also spend money to offer incentives to farmers for growing crops that require less water, Bird said.

Subsidies helping farmers install more efficient and state-of-the-art irrigation systems could help too, he said.

If the legislature includes Governor Scott’s $55 million in the budget, the county plans to be competitive in getting some of the money, Bird said.

“We think there’s a chance we’re going to get some of it,” he said.

Legislation is being introduced that contains a list of springs that have priority for funding for conservation and restoration projects. The county is working with its legislative delegation to try and get some of the local springs on the list, Bird said.

One project the county is looking for funding for is an upgrade to the septic system at Poe Springs. Nitrates in human waste can seep into the water and can cause algae growth, which can strangle other aquatic plants.

Some septic systems the county has looked at cost around $100,000, Bird said.

Although Alachua County wants to be in the running should the state set aside the $55 million, some of it might be better spent going to the local cities, he said.

“The Alachua County government doesn’t necessarily need the money, as long as it helps the region,” Bird said.

For instance, it could be used to help cities upgrade wastewater treatment facilities so they can supply water to power plants, reducing the amount of water taken from the aquifer.

Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson, president of Our Santa Fe, a conservation group, wants to see less money spent on restoring Florida’s waterways and more focus on protecting them.

She worried that more restoration projects will encourage the state to issue more permits for land use.

“They don’t need to throw around millions of dollars to fix the problem,” she said. “The State of Florida just needs to manage what we have.”

Rather than spending the money, the state should enforce the rules already on the books and hold businesses and citizens accountable, she said.

“I don’t think it takes $55 million to do that,” she said. “It’s just more taxpayer money that will encourage the overuse of water.”

ALACHUA – Over the past decade, the United States has seen an increase in the amount of imported seafood. With the increase in the seafood industry, many consumers, corporations and farmers have started to question whether or not they are receiving truly what they have paid for.

To answer these questions, companies like Applied Food Technologies (AFT) Inc., located in Alachua’s Sid Martin Biotech Incubator, have received federal funding to help further research into proper labeling and mislabeling of foods.

LeeAnn Applewhite, CEO and founder of AFT, estimated that 90 percent of all seafood in the United States is imported and a little over 33 percent of seafood is mislabeled or misrepresented.

According to Applewhite, mislabeling of seafood products can be either intentional or unintentional. The intention of AFT is to help combat fraud in the industry whether it is malicious or not.

In the past, AFT used protein tests to identify whether or not a fish has been labeled properly. This protein test has become a thing of the past. The protein test had a variety of issues from compromised sample to sheer length of testing, which could span over days.

AFT now utilizes a molecular method called DNA barcoding, which tests the DNA of the fish in question and compares it to AFT’s database of seafood. The new molecular test is much faster, spanning only a few hours, and is thorough and accurate, Applewhite said.

Through this particular method of testing, AFT was able to identify two similar species of South Asian catfish being substituted as cod or grouper by Vietnamese fishing companies. Mislabeling like this can cause a slew of problems for consumers ranging from economic fraud, health issues, allergic reactions and even religious issues that depend on the food being kosher.

With over 350 different species of grouper and cod, research techniques used by companies like AFT are important for the safety of consumers, Applewhite said. Currently AFT is estimated to be allocating 50 percent of their efforts into commercial testing while the rest is being put into furthering research techniques.

“What drives me is the research side of things,” she said, “We are always looking to improve.”

Applewhite sees the future of AFT developing even further beyond the seafood industry. Within the next decade product testing will be on the upswing and Applewhite envisions her company branching out into the testing of fruits, vegetables, coffee beans and other food products.